


the butterfly effect

by heygirlimhyperfixating (sapphicrystal)



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:21:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26304079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphicrystal/pseuds/heygirlimhyperfixating
Summary: All it had been was a simple argument.How would she have known that it'll lead her to this?
Relationships: Audrey Rose/Uma (Disney), Evie/Mal (Disney)
Kudos: 10





	the butterfly effect

**Author's Note:**

> hi you amazing specimens! staying safe? <3
> 
> so,i've been working on this for a long time now (since July but i'm a procrastinator so end of subject) and i'm super nervous to post it >:(
> 
> but... i came through! hopefully i will NOT be lazy and write? yeah, that's my goal...
> 
> anyways, comment and leave kudos? stay safe! <3
> 
> (also, u should definitely come follow me on twitter @eviesapprentice and tumblr @unprofessionalstan)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!
> 
> here is the finished product and please tell me how'd i do? tell me your thoughts on it? mistakes?
> 
> please! comment! and! leave! kudos! <3333 stay safe! enjoy!

_the butterfly effect;_

_noun_

_(with reference to chaos theory) the phenomenon whereby a minute localized change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere._

_\--_

It's a late Friday night. The bar seems to be a little void. She had gone there solely for fun; to get drunk and who knows what else. Not soon after, she grows somewhat bored; a part of it being all the older slash younger men trying to get her to come home with them. She had denied them of course. I mean, honestly, men just don't know how to respect women; sober or not.

She grabs one final drink and pays for it before making her way outside. Once she makes it there, she fishes her phone from her purse and dials the one person she considers to be close to her. The one person she can trust.

It rings once. No answer.

Twice. No answer.

"Third time's a charm," the young woman murmurs the saying to herself.

Third ring . . .

" _Hey, what's up?_ " comes a male voice at the other end of the line.

"Pick me up, please," she instructs him. "I'm at the usual bar."

" _Yeah, sure I'm on my way,_ " he assures her and ends the call.

Her best friend's black car pulls up on the street across from where she stands, almost fifteen minutes after the phone call. He rolls down the window and waves to her; signaling that she should come. She crosses the road to get to him.

Once she is there, she doesn't even give him a second glance as she opens the door and gets in the car.

"Someone's in a good mood," he says teasingly as he begins to drive her to her house.

"Fuck off, Jay." She rolls her eyes.

"Whatever you say." He pauses and then asks, " . . . Was there a bunch of loses hitting on you again?"

"Not that I care." She stops to look at the time on her phone. _00:13._ "I never agreed to anything they'd asked, though."

"Come on, Mal. You know how lonely you get and you really need to start dating again. I don't have the energy to deal with you all the damned time."

"Yeah? Well, that's what you're gonna be doing the rest of your life," she deadpans.

Jay scoffs at that.

They're silent for a few more minutes until -

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you -" he stops to chance a glance at her in the rear view mirror, and then continues, "- I saw this flyer the other day and it said something about an art internship."

That's what caught Mal's attention. Of course it would. Her last job and, well, all the others, did not end well. Whenever she had an important task to complete, she would either send some teenager to fulfill it for her or she would have it dismissed by pretending there was no task at all.

However, should she be in the mood to do it (which was on rare occasions), she would fail miserably at it. Mainly because those previous lines of work were ones where she had to engage with actual people.

_Mal does not like socializing._

She doesn't realize how long they are in silence until the car is met by a tenuous bump in the road that causes her head, which was resting on the side of the window, to bounce up once and knock slightly.

"Fuck, ouch," she grumbles to herself, louder than she had expected.

Jay doesn't answer, instead he only shrugs his shoulder and continues his focus on the road. He drives-drives-and-drives.

Jay rounds the last corner of her avenue and is met with a small, peach house. It's not the best colour ever, but it'll do. When Mal had bought the house about two years ago, it was a vivid shade of pink; something the prior owner was a fan of. " _It stands out and feels just . . . me? Y'know?_ " she would say or, " _Don't be such a grump, you can't live in black and purple for the rest of your life,_ " and each time Mal would grumble, scoff, roll her eyes or ignore her.

Nonetheless, she is at least grateful that it is a lesser colour.

"Mal. We're here," Jay announces. "Mal?" he tries again.

But Mal had drifted off into the seemingly deep abyss of sleep.

Jay opens the car door. Draws out of the vehicle. Opens the back door, and carries a blissful-in-sleep Mal into her home and straight to her room. At the moment, Jay is thankful that the house does not have any stairs. He carefully lays her down on the bed.

Before he has a second thought, Mal stirs. There is no more blissful-in-sleep Mal. Only a scowl-upon-her-face Mal.

Jay freezes.

"Jay?" Mal blinks. "What are you- what are you doing?" she asks, her voice quite a slur.

"I kind of brought you here." He clears his throat. "You were sleeping and I didn't wanna wake you up," he states.

Mal's scowl disappears and a soft smile glows slowly upon her features. "Thanks, Jay. Really. Thanks," she says softly and means it, then, she sits up right.

Jay nods. Grins. He knows that he should not mess with Mal when she is close to sleeping, but now she is not, hence the reason he teases, "your welcome, ya bitch."

If Mal was wide awake she would have punched him playfully in the arm.

Silence falls between them.

Jay breaks it,

"Are you going to lock the door or should I use my extra key to do it?"

Mal doesn't hesitate to answer, "no, you can lock up. It's- it's fine." She tiredly waves him off.

Jay nods once. "Okay. See you tomorrow, maybe," he pauses, "don't forget to look into that job I mentioned."

The smaller woman tells him that she'll definitely be doing that in the morning to come. They exchange goodbyes and goodnights.

Jay leaves.

Mal is left alone with her thoughts. She doesn't succeed in letting sleep take over her and instead she scans the internet for any recent sites that acknowledges art internships.

She finds none.

_Guess I'll have to ask Jay about it tomorrow._

Mal shifts in her bed at a convenient position; her right side.

_Guess I'll have to ask._

_Guess I'll have to-_

Before she could end that sentence-thought, her eyes lull shut. She is in deep slumber at last. She is dream-state now.

But this is no dream. It is a nightmare. A nightmare in which Mal sees her mother.

Her mother, whom she had hated, despised her whole life.

Her mother, who has used her staff to carve deep wounds into Mal's body. Her mother, who would starve her for days on end. Her mother, who reveled in torturing every ounce of her.

_Mother cackles while Mal is in flames, or, on the edge of a pit of flames - just waiting for Mother to send her in. But Mother does not do as such . . . yet. Mal whimpers, but Mother doesn't take that into consideration. Mother holds out her staff. Grins one of wickedness and no emotion. Takes it to her only daughter's chest and pushes-pushes-pushes -_

_\- Mal falls into the fire -_

\- She jolts awake in a cold sweat.

Her mother, whom she had feared. But her mother is no longer here. Here, Mal is free.

Mal fears no one.

Since the woman cannot sleep, she proceedes to her kitchen. Opens the cabinet door, and pulls out a bottle of red wine. Her favorite. It reminds her of blood. Something she had grown to favor back when, and something long forgotten. She then rinses a glass and pours in the blood-colored liquid, but only half-full. Mal winces when she takes a generous gulp. Probably not her best idea. Then again, she's never had many.

She knows wine won't help her situation.

Mal tilts her head up, and through a blurred vision, she sees that the clock tells two forty-seven.

 _Wow, it's late,_ she thinks. _Eh, I've been up later._

She downs the last bit of the red contents and pops her glass in the kitchen sink.

Mal then stumbles into her bedroom. She eyes her bed, deciding then, and drags her feet into the bathroom instead. Mal lands a hand on the bathroom door. Takes a breath and opens it.

Once she is in, she heads to the sink. Lifts her head and notes herself in the mirror. She still has leftover makeup on her face. It is slightly smudged so she turns on the faucet and starts to wash off the products.

Then she is -

_\- Done. I'm fucking tired._

With that thought, she guides herself to her queen-sized and meets slumber at last.

* * *

Mal wakes to her alarm cutting through the thin silence. She grumbles and groans as she prepares herself for the day to come.

* * *

 _I have to meet Jay today. Ask him about the job. Take a short run afterwards,_ she tells herself as she cooks a simple breakfast of bacon and egg.

Mal doesn't like fancy.

When she reaches for milk in the fridge -

_\- Do grocery shopping. I don't have milk. Need more eggs. Maybe cereal. I want some custard pudding. Anything else? Yes. Strawberries and chocolate. A few bottles of water. Wine. Yeah._

She instills a mental note into her head with each sentence.

She plops herself up on a stool and begins to eat her simple-breakfast. She doesn't bother to tidy up after herself. She knows that all she can do is pay a maid to finish up for her. Only now- only now she doesn't have any money. Hence, her need for an occupation.

She sighs.

_Mal used to be so organized before . . . before her -_

\- The sound of buzzing is what brings her back to reality.

Three new messages from: _jay_ it says.

She drags a finger on the screen and enters the pass code. She goes into the messaging app.

_Hey_

10:36

_Should I pick u up?_

10:36

_or are u gonna come over to my place with a taxi or something_

10:37

_**Could u pick me up?**  
_

10:39

_**i wanna go to the store** _

10:39

The three dots appear on the screen and then,

_Yeah, sure bitch_

_10:40_

**_dick_ **

10:41

_Pussy_

10:41

_**Dumbass** _

10:43

_Love u_

10:44

**_Yeah yeah i know_ **

10:45

**_Love u too_ **

10:45

Mal turns off her screen and then remembers -

_\- I have to ask him for some money. Maybe later when I see him._

And so Mal waits. Waits. Waits. And -

 _\- What's taking him so long?_ And as quickly as she wondered it, the honk of a car horn is heard. "Finally," she groans, her tone begrudged.

She gathers her things. _Bag? Check. Purse? Check. Makeup? Won't need it, but check. The other stuff?_ She scurries through her bag and - _check._

And she exits her house and enters Jay's car.

"Mornin'," he greets cheerfully.

"Why'd you take so long?" Mal questions, her tone acerbic and annoyed.

"Um, I- I was with a friend," he answers, suddenly nervous.

"The friend that you've been spending so much time with that you suddenly don't have time for me? _That_ friend?"

Jay shifts his body some. "Look, it's not always about you, Mal. I have a life and I'm sorry that you don't, but I can't keep babysitting you all the fucking time." He sighs, almost as if he is tired of Mal's . . . arrogance and anger.

He begins navigating to the supermarket.

Mal all but slams her back against the seat and let's out grunt.

They reach the store then, and Mal asks, some what intrigued but not, "are they a boy or a girl?"

The question seems to puzzle Jay. He furrows his brows.

"Mal, what are you talking about?" Jay removes the car keys and removes himself from the car.

Mal does the same. She takes a breath. "The friend who you've been seeing for months now." Another breath. "Boy or girl?"

Jay locks the car, starts to walk and -

"Guy."

Just one word and Mal already knows what it means -

"You're dating him, right," Mal assumingly points out, and Jay hears the hurtful strain in her voice.

Jay clears his throat. Lowers his gaze. "Mal, look, I'm sorry I haven't told you before but, it's just that you overeat all the time; take now for example." He walks further, with Mal following behind, and soon enough they're inside the store.

The taller guy speaks again, "we haven't made it official yet."

Silence is a breath that takes over the pair. A breath that Jay refuses to inhale. Forces to exhale -

"Mal, I promise that I _will_ still make time for you, but . . . " The next set of words falls out of his mouth before he has the chance to hold them back,

"I know that after your mom left you've-"

Mal halts. Balls her fists. "Just shut up! I don't need you or your sympathy." She runs her fingers through her hair. "My mom left because she was a fucking bitch, okay?" _And I hate her with my entire existence. I just- I just-_

She throws her hands in the air and before Jay could say anything, a tall, thin, dark skinned woman, wearing the appropriate uniform of the store, puts her hand on Mal's shoulder.

Mal turns around.

"Ma'am, I'm afraid to say this, but you're causing a scene," she speaks calmly, yet her eyes say otherwise. "We need you to depart from here before you disturb anyone else." The employee gestures around the aisle.

Mal shoves her hand out of the way and- and just leaves.

Jay tries going after her. Unfortunately, all she says is,

"Just- just leave me alone, I'm getting some air." She glances back at him. "Sorry for ruining your morning. Don't bother to follow me." With a mumble, she adds, "I'm not worth it anyway."

Then the blonde woman walks.

Walks.

Strolls.

Strolls along into a park. She doesn't know the reason why she chose this place. People are always happy here. Excited. Genuine smiles paint their face in vibrant colors as they laugh and play with their families.

_Family. Mal hates that word. She hates it. It always reminds her that she will never have one._

Mal places herself atop one of the park benches.

She exasperately sighs. Frustrated.

She rests her elbows on her thighs and buries her face into her palms.

"Rough day? Sorry, _morning_." The sound of a raspy chuckle caresses her ears. "Rough morning?" the woman repeats.

Mal raises her head and slightly turns her head to the side, only to find a smirk plastered on a too-gorgeous-to-be-true kind of face.

The other woman sitting across from her is attired in a subtle blue, almost black suit. With a deep v-neck displaying just the right amount of her cleavage - translation; the v-neck widens so that almost half the woman's breasts are revealed. It is _clearly_ evident that she is not wearing a bra. The garment fits her nicely and it flatters almost all of her curves. Mal is practically drooling on the inside. ( _A woman wearing a suit. Nothing gets better than that._ ) Even though the woman is seated, Mal can tell that her figure is most definitely exquisite.

Meanwhile, her features are probably the most captivating, of course. Her brown hair is tied up in a bun atop her head, with a few strands hanging loosely and cascading beautifully down the sides of her face. Her eyes are of a chocolate brown that seems to be able to see inside Mal's soul. Her brows are so perfect and it's easy to tell that it's natural. Her cheeks are slightly pink. Mal finds that it perfectly matches her intriguing lips; it's a shade of red that has Mal's heart screaming. And her sweet cinnamon and musk scent; _a blessing to Mal's nostrils._

Mal doesn't realize how long she had been staring at those _oh, so delicate_ crimson lips.

The brunette woman speaks again. This time adding a little more _sweet, sweet_ honey into her tone, "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I've got you flustered. Speechless." She smirks. "If I had known that I would have met with a beautiful woman, well, I wouldn't have been dressed this way, you see."

Mal widens her eyes upon hearing that and bites her lip. Her cheeks stained with pink, much like the former colour of her house.

Mal blinks. Then she sits up straight. "I- well- I mean- I don't," she stammers. The other woman looks as if she finds it amusing. Mal huffs, "ugh, nevermind."

Mal chooses to keep silent.

The gorgeous woman, however, chooses to not. "Your outfit is quite different from mine." Well, that statement was, _odd_. True, yet odd.

"What?" Mal incredulously asks.

"Your outfit." And there's that raspy chuckle again. "It's easy to point out that you have no fashion sense. Sorry, no offense."

Mal looks down at her clothing choice and draws her eyebrows together. "What's wrong with it?"

"Well, for starters-" She scans Mal's attire and grimaces, "-the plain black shirt could use some flair to it, and that goes for your whole, well, um, _everything_. Your black jeans could seriously use some rips in them if you're going for a cool, casual look. Claramente lo eres y fallas en eso."

Then she looks at Mal's bland t-shirt. "I wouldn't peg you for purple, but it looks good on you. And that's coming from someone with an impeccable manner of style, so take my word. Also, your hair. _Oh, dios, your hair._ Please do something about it. _Add_ something to it. Even a small clip would work. Wear a cap, hat, beanie, _anything_ to make you stand out, you know?"

Mal is suddenly, dumbstruck. She'd always thought that her wardrobe was . . . okay? At least to her it was. She never cared for anyone's smart comments about her. Although, when this _dazzlingly beautiful_ woman annotates her clothing, who is she to protest?

Mal blinks a few times. As if that motion would give off some sort of message.

So Mal insteads settles on looking past the woman.

But she doesn't seem to give up at trying to get a word out of Mal. Hence, the reason she continues talking,

"So, you don't speak much, do you?" Gorgeous Woman crooks the corner of her mouth. "Or is it just me that you're speechless around?"

Inside, Mal is a bit irritated with how much this woman is flirting with her. _Why me? The fuck am I so special for that someone this hot is simpering with me._

"Why are you acting this way?" Mal finally meets her gaze.

"Well, what way?" The opposite woman feigns disinterest.

"Why do you talk so much? No one _ever_ has an open conversation like this with a stranger. No one _ever_ looks at a stranger the- the way you do. And no one _ever_ smirks as much as you do." Mal sighs. Quitting. "Why?"

"Well, you see, I find that communication is a necessity between persons. Because, you see, if one cannot speak openly with a mere stranger how will one be open to their families? How will one run a successful business if they're silent all the time?"

" _Well, you see,_ " Mal imitates, _"I_ don't have a family _and_ I don't have a fucking business. So, communication doesn't mean shit to me."

"Oh, you have a language problem, now don't you?" She chuckles. Mal's insides twist at how nonchalant the woman seems to be at her utter rudeness.

'"Come on. Almost as if you don't swear."

"Oh, but I do. Everyone does." She shrugs one perfect and upright shoulder. "I just tend to do it at . . . the right moment. So that when I _do_ , it compliments a better reaction out of people."

"Oh." Mal blinks. "That, kinda makes sense."

The two stay silent for a while. The sound of dogs barking. Leaves rustling. People laughing.

"Well, I must be on my way now." Gorgeous Woman raises herself to go.

"Wait," Mal stops her, standing up herself. Bites her lip. Looks down. "You gave me the perception that you, um, have a business?"

_(Mal does not like socializing.)_

Then why was she asking these questions to someone she's never met? Why did she want to see the woman again? Why did she not feel a similar rage that she feels when she is around people? Why? Why? _Why am I acting like this now, all of the sudden?_

"Yes, I do actually have a business. _Aaand,_ " she glances at her expensive-looking watch, "I am so late for a meeting with some investors." The woman shoves her hand into one of her pockets and takes out something. Hands it to Mal.

"Here's my card. There's an address on it and . . . stop by some time." Then she fucking smirks. _Again_. "After all, we still need to have a chat on your poor fashion choices."

Then she fucking winks at Mal. And leaves without saying another word.

Mal smiles. A dopey smile. Showing her radiant dimples. She's never felt this way before. It's all somehow weird to her. New.

She shakes her head. Forcefully.

 _Don't catch feelings, Mal,_ she instructs herself. _You never do. People don't really like you. Especially not this person. Don't catch feelings. They'll leave you once they don't care anymore._

Memories of her mother flash before her eyes. She unconsciously grips the bench and sits down.

 _No, no. She's not here anymore. She can't harm you._ Tears sting her eyes. _She left you. She's far gone by now. She'll never come back. She left. Just . . . left._

"Ex-excuse m-me, miss?"

Mal looks up. Sees a small boy with mahogany skin, dark hair and hazel-brown eyes.

"What?" she says bitterly. With wetness still in her eyes, the boy notices it.

"Um, m-my soccer-soccer ball is there." He points under the bench where Mal is sitting on.

"And?"

"Um, c-can I please h-have it?" The boy fiddles with his finger nails.

Mal sighs. _He's just a kid, Mal. And he stammers, too._

"Yeah, sure." She gets up off the seat and gestures underneath it.

The young boy hurries to retrieve his property and moves to play.

Until he stops. He sees that Mal is walking off already. He runs after her.

"Ma'am?" he says softly.

Mal turns to meet him. "What?" she says in the same bitter tone.

The mahogany skinned boy doesn't say a word. He only moves forward to her. His small, thin arms wrap around her thighs. He's . . . hugging her?

"Hey, what are you-" She pushes him off of her. "What the hell was that for?" She grimaces.

"My-my mommy said t-that if you s-s-see some-someone sad, you should- y-you should hug them and say t-that it's gonna be okay." He gives her a small smile.

Mal's grim dissappears. She feels like crying again. She doesn't force the tears back; she lets them cascade down her face.

Mal drops down to her knees at his height. Wraps her arms around him and smiles. A teary smile. Full of gratitude that she thought she wouldn't find. Let alone in a child.

"Thank you," she speaks in a soft tone to him.

"It's okay. I always l-l-like to hug people. My m-mommy says that's good."

Mal pulls away from him and meets his eyes. "Where is your mommy, by the way?" she asks worriedly. Then sniffles. "A tiny dude like you shouldn't be out here alone."

He turns around and starts searching the area with his eyes. He finds them.

"There my mommy's are!" he exclaims happily.

He runs toward them while holding Mal's hand and making her run as well.

 _See. This is why I don't talk to people._ She internally face palms herself.

The boy reaches his destination and grins one of enthusiasm.

"Mommy, m-mom, I made a new friend! I m-made a new f-friend!"

His parents look at him with confused expressions, then at Mal. She awkwardly tries to smile.

"Uh, we sort of had a talk. He hugged me. Said he _likes_ to hug people. Um, yeah."

One of his mothers, the same mahogany skin, teal braids, a grey sweatshirt with a pirate skull on it and black jeans, approaches Mal first. Then apologises,

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry that he had to bother you." Then she gives a shy look to Mal. "Kai isn't always like this. I mean he is. But . . . "

Then the boy's, Kai's, assumably second mother comes up to Mal after giving her son a cup of juice. She has dirty blonde hair in waves along her shoulders, a mini dress which is a light shade of pink with little flowers scattered on it and -

\- She was the owner of Mal's house.

Mal didn't recognize her straight away. Unfortunately, the woman seems to do just the opposite.

When she walks up to them, she says, "Mal? Oh god. Is it really you?" She laughs as she puts her arm around her wife's waist. Then places a kiss on her soft skin.

"You know her, m-mommy?" Kai asks, holding his juice with both hands up to his chest.

"Yeah, baby. She lives in my old house."

Mal doesn't say a word.

"Sorry, I never introduced myself. I'm Audrey, you probably don't remember me, and this is my wife, Uma," the woman says. "You've already met Kai." The small boy smiles at her.

Uma extends her hand out. "Hi, I never got your name."

Mal hesitates to take her hand, she eventually does, and shakes it. "Mal," is what she says.

"So, what brings you a park at noon?" Audrey asks.

 _Seriously, I have to talk to them._ She rolls her eyes. Doesn't care if the woman sees it or not.

"I came out here for a breather."

Audrey smiles happily. _Much_ , too happily. "Oh, we actually came here because of this little guy." She rustles Kai's dark, straight hair. "He wanted to play for while, so, yeah," she explains further.

"And who can say no to such a cute guy," Uma speaks in soft tone.

"Yeah, he was practically jumping when we said he could come." The two women laugh while Mal doesn't do so.

Mal purses her lips. "Um, I have to go now, sorry."

She tries walking away when -

"Mal?"

_Ugh, seriously Audrey. Stop talking to me._

"What?" The platinum blonde woman turns.

"One of my friends are getting married next weekend. You wanna come?" Audrey grins.

"Yeah, it'll be so fucki-" Uma stops when realizes her son is still there. "It'll be so much fun." She chuckles nervously. "Not like those boring same-old-same-old weddings."

Mal pretends to think intensely about it. _Nope, you hate those kind of things, Mal. Honestly, when did you become so soft?_

Then her eyes dart to the young boy. The boy whose eyes glimmer in the sunlight. The boy who showed her sympathy, even when he never understood most of what was happening. The boy whom she felt attached to in such a short period of time.

Mal let's out a slow, heavy breath. She looks to Audrey.

"Fine. Yeah. I'll go." She sees the gleam in Kai's hazel eyes from her peripheral and smiles lightly.

_This kid is gonna grow on me. I know it. Shit._

"Yay!" Audrey exclaims excitedly, clapping her hands together.

"Yeah, trust me, it'll be _awe_ -some," Uma says as well.

"Mom?" Kai calls out. Uma turns her head to meet his. Kai had spilled the juice onto his striped blue t-shirt.

Uma crouches down. Pulls out a tissue and dabs at the soaked material. Once the mahogany skinned, teal braided woman finishes the process, she stands and turns to Mal.

"So, we'll definitely be seeing you there, right?" Uma asks Mal curiously-and-yet-not.

Mal's eyes turn emotionless. But only for a second. Mal blinks the unwanted irritation away.

"Yes," she confirms. Nods. "Yes, I'll be there." _Fuck, I really don't want to go. But . . . Jay is the only person I can tolerate. Mal, how are you going to adjust to new people? Nevermind._

"Okay, so," Audrey interrupts Mal's thoughts, "give me your phone so I can text you the details." The woman with pink-dresses-and-flowers extends her hand.

 _Excuse_ me? "Sorry, what?" Mal questions dumbly.

Audrey giggles and covers her mouth. "Oh, Mal. Your phone. How are you gonna know where the venue is if I don't text you?"

 _Oh, yeah. That._ "Yeah, um, sure." Mal pulls out her phone from the back pocket of her could-seriously-use-some-rips-in-them jeans. Gives it to the woman who had requested it.

Audrey smiles brightly and adds her number into Mal's phone. Then she sends her a message about where the location is. Gives the phone back.

"There, all done."

 _Should I say thank you?_ "I have to go now. My friend isn't here, so I'll have find a taxi." _Oh no. I just said I don't have transportation. Fuck._

Mal already knows what's going to happen next. Audrey, being the despicably sweet person she is, is going to -

"Oh, you don't have a way to go home?" She waves Mal off. Clicks her tongue. "We'll give you a ride there."

"Oh no. That won't be necessary. I'm sure I'll-" Mal tries to decline the substantially unwanted offer.

"Mal," Audrey says seriously, "it's okay. I'm sure the two of them won't mind. Especially Kai."

Uma and Kai are busy kicking the boy's soccer-ball. Passing it back and forth to each other.

 _At least it'll get me home quicker._ "Yeah . . . " she trails off into the distance. Somewhere far.

Somewhere; a place where she lets her mind wonder.

Wonder about the woman in a suit. Who had given her a card with the details of her business embedded on it.

_The card._

Mal slips her hand in her jeans pocket. She finds the card.

On it reads, _Genevieve Queen Grimhilde,_ most probably the number of the woman's business line, along with the plot the building is situated at.

Mal softly smiles to herself. She wonders when she'll have a period to meet this out-of-this-world woman.

Soon, she makes an empty promise to herself; she can't be sure that it'll be _soon_ , but it will most probably be when she has time - or a car for that matter.

"-down with me," a similar voice from minutes ago tugs Mal from her pondering. Mal allows her gaze to fall downwards. Audrey looks up at her expectantly.

"What?" a confused Mal questions.

"I said: Come sit down with me. Wow, _someone's_ head is in the clouds," Audrey taunts with a sleek smile.

Mal ignores the trivial teasing from the dirty blonde, and instead ops to settle for a space away from the chatty woman rather than right next to her. Despite the fact that Audrey is calling her, Mal continues walking away - but not too far though; near but not quite.

She finds the bench that she had been sitting on before Gorgeous Woman - Genevieve - had unexpectedly entered her world. The world that she had been alone in, save for Jay of course.

_I wonder where he is. Should I call him? No, Mal, he probably doesn't care where you are._

She shoves that thought away and searches her pockets for her cellphone. She finds it. Tries to call her Arabian-blooded best friend. She hears the chirpy voice of -

_"Hi! This is Jay, and if you're getting this - it's voicemail! And . . . I'm maybe busy now. Call me later? Bye!"_

"Great," Mal murmurs to none but herself as she carelessly drops her phone back into her pocket.

Time passes by like all the grinning children before her. Mal hates to admit; she admires children. She admires how happy they always are. How they do not have a single care in the world. She wishes she was like that. Oh, how she wishes.

Alas, all Mal will ever truly be is the opposite.

 _Oh, yes, the time._ She takes a second's glance at her phone and -

_Six minutes past three. Gotta get home._

Mal rushes to Audrey and informs her about her "need" to remove herself from the perimeter.

"Yeah, so you can do nothing with your life," Audrey jokes. "Why the serious face, Mal? I'll take you in a minute, just let me get my stuff."

As Mal stays silent, Audrey calls her wife and son. Collects her things and drives to Mal's home.

They're in Audrey's clean white car filled with unwelcomed silence, only little muffled sounds here and there.

The drive is not too long of a distance and so they reach the house quite fast.

_Finally._

"M-Mommy, who's house is this?" Kai asks with hazel eyes dilated in curiosity.

"It's Mal's house," Audrey answers sweetly. "Come on, let's get out."

And so they do that. And they explore Mal's house (with her consent after minutes of pleading). And they talk for some time. And they laugh as well. And then they go.

Leaving Mal secluded again.

Secluded like she's been her entire life. She knows that Jay is the only family she has, but lately it seems as if he's slipping away. (Or maybe it's her that's slipping away.)

So she recalls the card from Genevieve. And dials the number . . .

_"Hello. How may I help you?"_

Mal clears nothing from her throat. "Could I book an appointment with Miss Genevieve?"

_"Yes . . . We have a date but it's in two weeks, would that be acceptable?"_

"Okay, yeah, that's great." Mal tries to sound chirpy. She is, but is not good at showing it.

_"Right. So who's name should I put the appointment under?"_

"M-Mal. Mal Moors," she answers hesitantly.

_"So the date would be the twenty-third of this month."_

"Okay, thank you. Bye."

And then Mal cuts the line. Then prepares herself for bed. And, despite it not being true, she tells herself that,

"Tomorrow will be great." _I hope_.

Oh, yes; her stomach is grumbling because she didn't get the groceries she needs.

But nonetheless, she's able to slip into a pit of darkness known to her as: nightmares.

_"Mother, please, no; it'll never happen again."_

_Mal squirms whilst heavy wind causes her eyes to squint and tear up. And Mother's cackles are all too familiar._

_"Oh, dear child. All that I had asked you was to be evil . . . like me; and you couldn't even carry out that." Mother's voice is coated with distaste._

_And then Mother discards her own blood in a blizzard served to kill._

_Mal sinks to her knees; shelter doesn't mean anything at this point. Mal hopes that she isn't going to make it._

_As her hopes are rising, a tall boy with tousled, shoulder-length hair, who is about her age, calls out to her,_

_"Mal! Mal! Mal!"_

"Mal! Mal!"

Mal wakes to deep brown eyes staring at her with fear. And her own eyes are now a waterfall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooo... how'd i do? errors? typos? what are ur thoughts on kai? his name was originally "Xavier" but i liked the name "Kai" better, what do u think? (kai means ocean, it's a Japanese name) thoughts on audrey? she talks ALOT. what about miss Genevieve The Flirt? and jay? Uma? mal in general?
> 
> did you like it so far? what do you think might happen next? who's ur fave so far? (mine is evie and kai) thoughts about Mal's nightmares? (sorry for the ending :-|)
> 
> also, the next few chapters from here on out will be shorter, maybe even one lil scene? but I'll see...
> 
> please comment guys! give kudos! they're always appreciated!! stay safe, wear a mask, take care of yourself! <3333333
> 
> see you in the next chapter! <3
> 
> come follow me on twitter! (@eviesapprentice) and tumblr! (@unprofessionalstan)


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